Qatar

SOCIETY

Population: July 1992 estimate 484,387; 1992
growth
rate 3.2 percent.

NOTE--The Country Profile contains updated
information
as available.

Education: Free in twelve-year public school
system,
consisting of six-year primary cycle, three-year
intermediate
cycle, andthree-year secondary cycle. Total students in
three
cycles in 1985-86 academic year 51,350, of whom roughly 50
percent female. University of Qatar free.

Health: Comprehensive system of well-equipped
public
clinics and hospitals staffed by mainly foreign personnel.
Most
care provided free to all residents. Several private
clinics
located in Doha. In 1986 life expectancy at birth 65.2
years for
males and 67.6 years for females.

Ethnic Groups: Most Qataris are Arabs; some have
Iranian or African ancestry. Large foreign communities of
Indians, Iranians, Pakistanis, and Egyptians. Other groups
include Filipinos, Bangladeshis, Sudanese, Afghans, other
Arabs,
Sri Lankans, and Westerners, mostly British.

Religion: Most Qataris follow Wahhabi
interpretation of
Sunni Islam. Of remaining Muslims, Arabs, Pakistanis, and
Afghans
are Sunni, while Iranians are mainly Shia. Other religious
groups
include Hindus (mostly Indian) and Christians (Indians,
Filipinos, and Westerners).